Does Car Insurance Cover a Natural Disaster?

A natural disaster is unpredictable and can hit at any time, causing huge damage. It can also result in huge damage to the car, which ultimately might lead to draining your savings. In such unpredictable events, the importance of a car insurance policy becomes even more important. So, if you have been thinking about whether car insurance provides coverage for natural disasters, then you need to scroll through the section below to learn more about it.

There is no specific cover, add-on or otherwise, known as a national disaster car insurance policy. This is a part of the Comprehensive Car Insurance policy. It is covered under the Own Damage section of the Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, your car shall automatically be covered against natural disasters if you opt for a Comprehensive plan.

A Comprehensive insurance policy proves helpful in case of a natural disaster by providing coverage for the expenses that go towards the repair of a damaged car due to a natural calamity.

Let’s understand this with an example:
Mr. Jain’s car was damaged in a massive flood. It needs to be repaired, and the cost is around Rs. 80,000. Now, to get this damage covered under his comprehensive policy, he needs to inform the insurer about the damage and raise a claim. Once he raises the claim, the insurer will assess the damage and, based on the deductibles chosen, reimburse the cost that will go towards the repair.

Here are some points that will help you acquaint yourself with the concept of a Comprehensive Car Insurance policy.

Now that the question ‘does car insurance cover natural disasters?’ is ticked, the next natural question is: what to do in case your car is damaged because of a calamity like cyclone or flash floods? First, you need to be concerned about yourself and your near and dear one’s safety before worrying about the car. Yes, a car is important and if you have an active Comprehensive plan, then the expenses for repairs should be taken care of.

Once you are safe and the calamity is over, approach your car and click pictures from all angles. Shoot a video covering the damaged spots. Prepare a flow of events with date and time concerning the car’s journey. All this will come in handy after you raise a claim and are questioned by the insurance company’s surveyor. Do not tamper with the car. And do not repair the damages without discussing it with the insurer.

If you are wondering how we can claim car insurance for natural disasters, then the following points will let you know about the process in detail.

If you have purchased your policy from a digital-first insurer, mostly you will not be asked to submit hard copies of your documents. All the necessary details will be sourced from your account with them or via your policy details. If there is a form involved, the insurer will most likely ask you to fill and submit it online.

In the case where you have purchased the policy from an agent or an insurance company’s branch office, they might ask you to fill claim application forms, attach supporting documents like a cancelled cheque, etc. The exact list of documents will depend upon the extent of the damage and the insurance company’s claim process.

However, here is a list of documents that you must have to file a claim:

If you are a vehicle owner in a region that is at a high risk of natural disasters, then you must consider buying car insurance add-ons. These add-ons will provide extra protection in case your car gets damaged due to flood, earthquake, cyclone, or any other natural calamity. Some of these add-ons include:

Listed below are a few useful tips that will safeguard your car against natural disasters:

It is always better to keep your precious car protected against all odds that might take place on the road. Hence, you should get a Comprehensive policy that will provide a range of coverage, including coverage against damage due to natural disasters.